The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for ground working and, in particular, for use in grooming ditches.
Canadian patent 1,201,287 discloses an apparatus for ,grooming roadside ditches entitled xe2x80x9cDitcher Head Assembly for Cleaning Ditchesxe2x80x9d. The ditcher head assembly is a rotating head that can be mounted on a tractor to throw debris from a ditch onto a shoulder of a road.
Canadian patent 1,080,257 discloses an apparatus for grooming ditches entitled xe2x80x9cAutomated Machinery to Clean Debris from Roadside Ditches, Collect it, and then Transport the Debris to a Major Collection Area for Disposalxe2x80x9d. This automated machinery includes a self-dumping truck or trailer in which the debris is collected.
What is required is an alternate method and apparatus for ground working.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for ground working, which includes a chassis and at least three telescopically extendible wheel supports secured to the chassis. At least one support wheel is rotatably mounted to a remote end of each of the telescopically extendible wheel supports. The telescopically extendible wheel supports providing a means whereby the height and angular orientation of the chassis is adjustable to suit a contour of a ditch. A rotatably mounted drum is secured to and underlies the chassis.
The apparatus, as described above, is capable of moving along a road with either one wheel up on the road and two wheels in the ditch or two wheels up on the road and one wheel in the ditch. The telescopic wheel supports permit the height and angular of the chassis to be adjusted to provide sufficient clearance for the drum to operate. A three wheel vehicle is preferred, as there is more space between the wheels to broadcast gravel, as will hereinafter further described.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the apparatus, as described above, a chassis with a wide enough stance to be stable in a ditch will be too wide to drive down a highway or transport by flat bed trailer. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when the chassis includes telescopically adjustable members extending between the at least three wheel supports. This permits the distance between the support wheels to be adjusted to provide for a transport mode.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the apparatus, as described above, it is difficult to configure a drive or steering system for such a vehicle. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when the support wheel on each of the wheel supports has an individual drive motor, and preferably, independent steering.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the apparatus, as described above, in order to broadcast gravel in a desired direction onto the road, it is preferred that the drum is angularly adjustable. The preferred form of drum having radially projecting teeth.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for ground working. A first step involves providing an apparatus for ground working, as described above, with telescopically extendible wheel supports which permit the height and angular orientation of the chassis to be adjusted to suit a contour of a ditch. A second step involves positioning the apparatus with at least one support wheel in a ditch. A third step involves driving along the ditch broadcasting gravel from the ditch onto the road with the drum.
On a gravel road, traffic tends, over time, to move gravel to the shoulders of the road. This gravel is eventually pushed over the shoulders and into the ditch. Over time, a considerable amount of gravel accumulates in the ditch. Instead of hauling in replacement gravel from a remote site, the teaching of the present invention is to reclaim gravel from the ditch and broadcast the gravel back onto the road.